Ezekiel 6:12 kjv
He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.
Ezekiel 6:12 nkjv
He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine. Thus will I spend My fury upon them.
Ezekiel 6:12 niv
One who is far away will die of the plague, and one who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I pour out my wrath on them.
Ezekiel 6:12 esv
He who is far off shall die of pestilence, and he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who is left and is preserved shall die of famine. Thus I will spend my fury upon them.
Ezekiel 6:12 nlt
Disease will strike down those who are far away in exile. War will destroy those who are nearby. And anyone who survives will be killed by famine. So at last I will spend my fury on them.
Ezekiel 6 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 6:12 | "He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, and he who is near shall fall by the sword. And when I have spent my fury on them, then they shall know that I am the Lord; that I have spoken in my jealousy." | Judgment, War, Divine Fury |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | "When they say, ‘Where is the Lord?’... those appointed for death shall go to death, those for the sword to the sword, those for famine to famine, and those for captivity to captivity." | Cities of refuge |
| Jeremiah 14:12 | "Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." | Rejected Offerings |
| Leviticus 26:17 | "I will set my face against you, and you shall be beaten before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you." | God's Opposition |
| Deuteronomy 28:25 | "The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will go out one way against them but flee seven ways before them. You will become a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth." | Scattering and Defeat |
| Psalm 76:1-2 | "In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. Hebron also is his abode, and his dwelling place in Zion." | God's Presence |
| Isaiah 5:13 | "Therefore my people go into captivity for want of knowledge; their glory is a company of famished men, and their multitude is dried up with thirst." | Consequences of Ignorance |
| Ezekiel 5:12 | "A third part of you shall die by pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst, and a third part shall fall by the sword all around you, and a third part I will scatter to every wind..." | Divine Plan of Destruction |
| Amos 3:2 | "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." | Special Relationship and Accountability |
| Lamentations 4:10 | "The tongues of nursing infants stick to the roof of their mouths from thirst; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them." | Severity of Famine |
| Revelation 6:8 | "And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth." | Famine and Pestilence as Judgement Tools |
| Hosea 5:12 | "For I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah." | God's Judgment on Israel |
| Zechariah 1:5-6 | "Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? Yet my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?" | God's Persistent Word |
| Ezekiel 38:14 | "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel dwell securely, you will arise," | Prophecy of Future Intervention |
| Leviticus 19:18 | "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." | Contrast with God's Justice |
| Deuteronomy 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me. I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; no one can deliver from my hand." | God's Absolute Sovereignty |
| Jeremiah 9:16 | "I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them." | Exile and Scattering |
| Romans 9:18 | "So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whom he wills." | Divine Sovereignty in Mercy and Judgment |
| 2 Kings 19:35 | "And on that night the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when they arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." | Divine Deliverance Through Judgment |
| 2 Corinthians 5:10 | "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive what is due to him for the things done in the body, whether good or evil." | Final Judgment |
| Jeremiah 30:11 | "For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord. Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure and will by no means leave you unpunished." | Conditional Discipline |
Ezekiel 6 verses
Ezekiel 6 12 Meaning
The verse describes a chilling and comprehensive judgment falling upon the land, signifying utter devastation. It speaks of Israel's inevitable downfall and punishment.
Ezekiel 6 12 Context
Ezekiel 6:12 is part of a larger prophetic message of judgment against Israel, particularly focusing on their idolatry and apostasy. The preceding verses have detailed the destruction and desolation that will come upon the land, the mountains, and the high places where the Israelites worshiped their false gods. This verse describes the manner of death and suffering that will afflict those who are far from and those who are near, indicating total pervasive destruction. The "jealousy" mentioned reflects God's intense, righteous anger over His people's covenant unfaithfulness and their worship of other gods, which He considers an affront to His unique relationship with them.
Ezekiel 6 12 Word Analysis
- He (who is): Refers to individuals within Israel.
- afar off (מֵרָחֹוק - merachoq): Denotes distance, indicating those who might try to flee or escape the initial devastation.
- shall die (יָמוּת - yamuth): Certainty of death.
- by the pestilence (בַּדֶּבֶר - baddēver): Death caused by disease or plague, a common tool of divine judgment in the ancient Near East and Scripture.
- and he (וְחָקִיר - vechaqir): Connects to the previous clause, linking two forms of destruction.
- is near (קָרוֹב - qarōv): Refers to those who are physically close to the immediate scenes of conflict or devastation.
- shall fall (יִפּוֹל - yippōl): Indicates defeat, death, or collapse.
- by the sword (בַּחֶרֶב - bacherēv): Death by warfare and violence.
- And when (וְכִי - vechi): Introduces a subsequent phase or realization after the judgments are executed.
- I have spent (כַּלֵּיתִי - kalleithī): Completion or exhaustion of God's anger or action.
- my fury (חֲמָתִי - chămathī): Intense divine anger and wrath.
- upon them (בָּם - bām): Directs the judgment towards the people of Israel.
- then shall they know (וְיָדְעוּ - yedʻū): A key prophetic refrain indicating the eventual understanding or recognition of God's actions and authority, often too late.
- that I am the Lord (כִּי־אֲנִי־יְהוָה - ki-ani-YHWH): The self-declaration of God's covenant name, asserting His identity, power, and sovereignty as the cause of these events.
- that I have spoken (כִּי־אֲנִי־דִּבַּרְתִּי - ki-ani-dibbarthi): Confirms that these judgments are not random but are the result of God's pronouncements.
- in my jealousy (בְּקִנְאָתִי - beqinʼāthī): Explains the motive behind the severe judgment – God's passionate, protective love and His anger at His people's disloyalty to their covenant relationship.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, and he who is near shall fall by the sword.": This pair emphasizes the inescapable and comprehensive nature of the judgment. No one will be spared, whether they are distant or present; both famine/plague and military conflict will claim lives, leaving no safe haven.
- "And when I have spent my fury on them, then they shall know that I am the Lord": This links the execution of God's wrath to the ultimate realization of His identity and power. The suffering and destruction are intended to teach a profound lesson about who God is, even if that knowledge comes through severe consequences.
- "that I have spoken in my jealousy.": This explains the divine motivation. God's "jealousy" is not a negative human emotion but a righteous zeal stemming from His covenant love, reacting to Israel's idolatry, which He views as spiritual adultery and a betrayal of their exclusive commitment to Him.
Ezekiel 6 12 Bonus Section
The concept of God's "jealousy" (קִנְאָה - qin'ah) is crucial here. It's not envy in a human sense, but a righteous indignation and zeal stemming from God's passionate love and His covenant obligations. He is jealous for His people and their faithfulness to Him. Their turning to idols is a violation of their exclusive covenant relationship, much like a spouse betraying a marriage covenant. This verse therefore highlights the deep emotional aspect of God's interaction with humanity, particularly concerning sin and unfaithfulness. The complete destruction signifies not just punitive action, but also a drastic measure to cleanse and restore, ultimately so His people will know His true identity as Yahweh, their covenant God.
Ezekiel 6 12 Commentary
This verse presents a grim prognosis for unfaithful Israel. The judgment described is total: it encompasses death by both disease (pestilence) and warfare (sword). It indicates that escape is impossible, whether one flees to a distance or remains in the heart of the nation. The "spending of fury" signifies the complete execution of God's wrath, designed to bring about a deep and final recognition of His divine sovereignty and authority. This judgment is motivated by God's "jealousy," His zealous concern for His covenant people's exclusive devotion, which they have broken through idolatry. This theme of God's jealousy is consistent throughout the Old Testament, portraying His passionate commitment to His relationship with His people and His righteous anger against anything that rivals His rightful place.